In Memories
by Iris Leonhart
Summary: Forgotten memories haunt people once again. Will the feeling of guilt to save those he cares about bring his own end? -This is my first fanfic so please be kind!
1. Default Chapter

The Mission 

            It was still too early then when Aya heard thunderous knocks on the door. She hasn't got a full eight-hour sleep since she began being a SeeD and got crammed up with all those mission requests. She pretended not to hear them, to force the person away. At the fifteenth knock, it was obvious that the person isn't going to give up. With that, Aya stood up and opened the door. 

         "AYA!!! Good morning!!!" 

             Obviously it was Selphie. She is the only person that can be energetic at this time of the day. Who wouldn't be? It was just six o' clock in the morning. 

         "It's much too early for your practical jokes…I'm trying to rest here…" Aya said as she yawned. She tried to close the door but Selphie held it back. Aya put an arm on her waist and smirked at Selphie. 

         "Come on, wake up sleeping beauty! We've got a new mission!" Selphie said with enthusiasm.  Maria put her palm at her forehead, a sign of despair perhaps. 

         "It's of short notice…." Aya said sleepily at her. It was uncertain if she was sleepy or just plain hopeless. She briefly fixed her hair by letting her hand over her long purplish-black hair. She then looked back at Selphie. " Or maybe you just forgot to tell me earlier?" 

          Selphie grinned. She took looked sideways as if though avoiding Aya's glance. Aya sighed hopelessly. 

         "Alright, it's my fault. I forgot to tell you yesterday. But anyway, we're to assemble at the front gate after thirty minutes. Briefing will be done there. That's all." Selphie hurriedly told her. 

         Aya raised an eyebrow at her. After thirty minutes? Surely, she wasn't ready for this. Imagine someone telling you that you have a mission thirty minutes before the actual thing. Nice. But hell, this isn't the first time that this thing happened. On their first mission, the situation was worse. It was five minutes that time. Aya could only sigh. When will the garden ever give mission requests on time? 

      "Alright, I'm going. See you later." Aya's voice was getting sleepier every moment. She thought that the next thing that could happen is for her to fall asleep standing. She felt the urge to get ready for the (usually boring) briefing.  

      "Okay, bye!" Selphie said as waved goodbye at her. Aya hurriedly closed the doors shut. 

       Another mission. These word kept pummeling itself into Aya's mind. She thought that it was so unfair, the other SeeDs had nothing to do while the go risk their lives doing a mission. Are they the only reliable SeeDs out there? They have Xu and Nida and that guy over the library who keeps finding that girl with the pigtail…Aren't they good enough? She expected the usual party will be sent again. Her, Selphie, Zell, Irvine and Squall. And Rinoa perhaps. Rinoa isn't even a SeeD but she helps out most of the time. She was beginning to think that the SeeD uniform is no more than a reflection of one's academic achievement in the garden. 

      _But I'm a SeeD. I'm not supposed to complain. _

This was the principle that she learned from Squall. She found it useful, as it made the missions easier to endure. She kept this in mind as she got herself ready for the mission. This principle can be compared to self-ordained ignorance but she had no other choice. Besides, she trusts the garden. They wouldn't send them for any reason aside from protecting the weak.

As soon as she got ready, she took the double bands of gold rings that hung beside her bed. It was her partner for it accompanied her in every mission that she took. It was her weapon, the Saturn Circle.

__________________________________________________________________________________ 

         Zell loudly yawned while waiting at the front gate. He would usually be the last to arrive and now he was feeling the same amount of boredom that each one of them had to endure while waiting for him. He looked sleepily at his digital watch which read six thirty-one. Aya was one minute late.

        "She's one minute late..." 

        "Right, speak for yourself, Mr. Time conscious." Irvine sarcastically commented his statement.

        Footsteps can be heard from afar. Aya was running hurriedly toward the front gate.

        "I'm sorry that I'm late. My apologies." Aya bowed down slightly in front of them. 

       "Apology accepted Ms. Aya. I have heard that you were told only of this mission just a while ago." The headmaster confirmed. Aya slightly nodded her head, telling a mental note that they need not bother about her case.

       "So, you are gathered here for the briefing of your new mission." The headmaster began," I know that I am already asking too much of you but please bear with me. This is a very delicate mission so I am sending the best among all of the SeeDs. And that is you. On to the mission. The six of you are to go to Trabia."

        "I can show you the way there!" Selphie interrupted

        "I'm sorry but you are not to go to Trabia garden. Instead, you will go to a fortress hidden in a snowfield. Your objective is to rescue a girl named Yukime.  She is a sorceress that has been kept over the fortress since her childhood. Rumors say that she can control the forces of nature and control it according to her will. You will identify her with this." He handed them some photos that were given to them by their client. Irvine hurriedly got one of them and stared intently into it.

        "Wow...she's pretty.." He said as he continued to stare at the picture. True enough, one can say that she was beautiful. She had long blue hair and eyes. She had snow white complexion and her stature was good enough. But what's so "sad" about the picture is that it was taken outside of the fortress. It showed her standing over the window , that was enclosed in strips of paper that were charms perhaps. She was looking grave.

        "Kept here since her childhood? By whom?" Aya asked concerned.

        "Details of her captors are unknown. But I am warning you, this group is rather powerful. Having put up a large fortress covertly hidden for a long time, I assume that they are strong. Always be ready in case of "hostile" treatment." Cid said briefly and concisely as the group attentively listened to his words. 

        Squall seemed indifferent even through the headmaster's words. He had that usual scowl on his face as he listened to him. His face betrayed no emotions.

        "What are we to do with her after we have taken her here?" Squall asked in his usual cold monotonous voice.

        "She is to stay under our custody until the threats are gone. Therefore she is your client until she is truly safe." Cid said in an in-a-matter-of-fact tone. 

         Squall sighed at his words. First, there was Rinoa. According to their contract, Rinoa is their client until Timber's independence from Galbadia. Presently, Timber is still under Galbadian occupation. Now, here comes another client. Now, their contract lasts until all the threats in her life is gone. When will that end? Squall thought. A thought entered into Squall's mind. He'll probably die even before she is "truly safe".

         "Good luck. You may go now." 

          The SeeDs saluted at the headmaster at the same time. The headmaster gave them a nod of confirmation.


	2. Crimson Snow

Author's note: can't think of any other appropriate title...So there! Hope you enjoy reading my fanfic.. That's all!

Crimson Snow

It was supposed to be winter that time but in that part of the town, it was sunny. the plants were in bloom and emanated a certain beauty that could make one's troubled soul happy.

In a house among that rather unusual part of town, there lived a common family who still lives by traditions. they had a garden at the back of their small yet elegantly crafted house. Beautiful plants and flowers grew there. Surely it was well taken care of, judging from its orderly arrangement. Also near in the back of their house was a small body of water, a creek perhaps. Among the garden stood a girl, not more than nine or ten years of age. She sat at a rock, dipping her feet into the water. She took notice of a red flower near her. She looked at it and found it beautiful so she put it over her hair. 

Suddenly, her mother approached her. She bent down to her and whispered something in her ear.

"You have a visitor." she whispered as she patted the girl's shoulder gently. The girl seemed uninterested.

"Who is it?" She asked nonchalantly.

"it's Kenji."

The girl stopped for a moment. Her eyes kept the same direction but her mind wandered around. It was uncertain if she liked the idea or not. Then, she let out a deep drawn sigh.

"Let him come here." The girl told her mother as she picked a red tie from her pocket and started tying her hair.

"Alright. Just wait here." The mother said with a smile as she patted the shoulder of her daughter once again. Then she left.

It wasn't long enough until her mother came back with her visitor. There came a boy about the same age as her. He had brown hair and blue eyes and had a sense of formality, wearing almost a tuxedo-like outfit.

"Now, I'll leave you two here." The mother whispered to him. After that she left the two. The boy fixed his tie and then went to the girl. The girl wasn't even looking at him. She kept her eyes to the water. 

"How come it's not winter here yet? I really find it strange." Kenji said as he sat down next to the girl who merely said nothing at his question.

"I want it to be spring forever. That's why." She said in a cold voice.

"Then you shouldn't have put a poppy in your hair. It doesn't look good in spring. He looked around and found a daisy. He picked it up and replaced the poppy with the daisy. "You should put a daisy instead." He then smiled at her sincerely.

The girl then looked at the water to see her reflection. He was right. The white daisy looked more beautiful than the red poppy. 

"Thank you." She said with a smile as she was holding the daisy in her hair. 

Their conversation went longer than expected. It seems that Kenji's cheerful attitude broke her coldness. It continued on for many minutes. It wasn't her nature to smile but as she was taking to Kenji, she noticed that she had smiled the most in her life. Suddenly, their conversation was stopped when they heard a loud explosion from outside.

"What happened?" She asked nervously. 

It wasn't long before they heard banging and clashing from inside the house. Her mother came running from the house. She hurriedly instructed them to leave.

"Leave now! You are in danger!" her mother instructed them imperatively. The girl was not deterred. She was not going to leave unless her mother explains all about this commotion. She refused to flee from his position.

"Mother, explain what this is all about?!" The girl asked. She looked frightened yet determined. She knew that her own curiosity could lead her to danger but she refused to abide by her mother's command.

"Just leave!" She yelled at them. ten she turned at Kenji, "Please leave." She looked at him, telling a mental note to force her daughter to leave.

Kenji nodded his head. He grabbed the girl roughly in the arm but she violently shook it off.

"I am not leaving!" She insisted. "Not without you!"

A group of men arrived from the house. They were armed with long katanas and scythes. The girl looked to them with fear while Kenji tried to look brave. He looked upon them with courage. The mother hurriedly ran to the children and covered them with herself.

"Please do not hurt them....They are just children...." She pleaded with tears falling down from her eyes. The men did not look moved at all. As a matter of fact they looked more vicious. They had a sinister grin on their faces.

One of the men pointed his katana on the direction of the mother. A man behind him quickly moved forward. The girl could hear her mother's heart beating. it was beating so fast indicating that she was afraid. Afraid of what? She asked herself. Afraid to die? Afraid for them to get killed? These thoughts ran through the girl's mind. Mixed emotions continued to flow mindlessly in her mind. She wanted to protect all of them but she can do nothing. She was just a helpless girl amidst vicious wolves.

"Do it now." the man ordered. The other henchman that was in front of the mother roughly grabbed her by the head and stabbed her through the neck. The girl stared in horror while Kenji's eyes blazed with fury.

The girl was stunned. She froze in fear and in surprise. Seeing her mother lie dead, covered in her own blood horrified her. Kenji desperately wanted to fight back but had no other option but to sit back and lay low.

"Kill that monstrosity." He ordered again. All of them went to their position slowly. Seeing that her mother was dead, the terrified girl could only hope to reunite with her mother in death. She did nothing to protect herself from the impending attack. She could only wait for her end to come.

"NOW DIE!"

The girl closed her eyes. She could feel the blade coming closer...And so was her end. 

_Wait...Something is not right....I am.....I am still alive?_

She opened her eyes and touched her face. When she looked at her palm, it was covered with blood. But she felt no pain. No wounds or whatsoever. Whose blood is it then? She asked herself. When she looked up, she was horrified at what she saw. 

"KENJI!!!" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she saw the man pull the blade out of Kenji. Kenji had protected her from the attack. She caught him in her arms as he fell to the floor.

"I....forgot to...ask your name....stupid, isn't it?" The dying boy told her.

"Yukime... Yukime is my name." She answered, with tears falling down from her eyes.

"It was nice...meeting you."

"Yes...."

He let out one last smile at her then, his head rolled to one side. Yukime closed his eyes then looked at the murderers furiously. She stood up and looked at them in anger. Her eyes glowed a fiery blue and her blue hair stared to float in mid-air. Wings suddenly emerged from her back. The murderers froze in fear as they watched her. The moment she lifted her arm, a strong blizzard blew in the area. From the ground came out large crystals that swallowed the men. Soon, the place was filled with frozen people. But with a single snap from her hand, it broke down to small particles and vanished in thin air.

There she stood, in the middle of the icy grave. She could only weep for those who have gone.

Author's note: I purposely "abused" the use of pronouns for Yukime to keep her identity until the appropriate time. So please don't think that I did that for nothing....


End file.
